Evora
For something a little different, we booked a tour through Tours by Locals to Evora. We have had consistently good luck finding tour guides and tours through them and this was no exception.
Evora lies in the south-central region of Alentejo. A small but charming town, this is not a popular tourist destination but we thought it was well worth the trip. Along the way, our guide pointed out all the stork's nest resting on the larger power line structures. Some of them even looked like stork condos with all the nests perched on them. The moms were clearly visible feed the not so small babies.
Our first stop in the town was the Igreja de Sao Francisco church. A few years ago, the church decided to renovate and cover all the ancient stone work with brand spanking new white tile that totally ruined the image of a historical site. However, the inside was still quite beautiful. What makes the church well known is the adjacent Chapel of Bones. With cemeteries overflowing, priests took on the charge of creating a chapel with the bones from the cemeteries. It's both creepy and fascinating and not to be missed.
The other major church is the Cathedral of Evora. This retains it's original charm and character. Used as both a church and a defensive structure, the walls were built to allow soldiers to defend the church. Inside, one of the more fascinating statutes is a very pregnant Mary. It was a first for me.
Nearby, the Roman ruins dubbed the Temple of Diana is the third major site in the town. The columns remain but not much else of the original structure. Still, it's a fascinating structure.
While not on our original itinerary, we had a little time to shop in the charming little area by the church. Cork and tiles are some of the major offerings. Having a little time to shop for gifts for home before this, we took advantage of the opportunity.
Tonight, we finally ate at the restaurant next door to our hotel, 100 Maneiras. Known for both it's food and bar, the craziness starts right at the door and continues through the entire meal. The food was delicious and the staff delightful. I highly recommend a visit.
This was our final evening, so we had packing as an after dinner activity. What a great trip!!! I hope to return soon to visit other parts of the country and drink some more of their delicious wine. Hope you've enjoyed the blog.
Until next time.
Tammie
Evora lies in the south-central region of Alentejo. A small but charming town, this is not a popular tourist destination but we thought it was well worth the trip. Along the way, our guide pointed out all the stork's nest resting on the larger power line structures. Some of them even looked like stork condos with all the nests perched on them. The moms were clearly visible feed the not so small babies.
Our first stop in the town was the Igreja de Sao Francisco church. A few years ago, the church decided to renovate and cover all the ancient stone work with brand spanking new white tile that totally ruined the image of a historical site. However, the inside was still quite beautiful. What makes the church well known is the adjacent Chapel of Bones. With cemeteries overflowing, priests took on the charge of creating a chapel with the bones from the cemeteries. It's both creepy and fascinating and not to be missed.
The other major church is the Cathedral of Evora. This retains it's original charm and character. Used as both a church and a defensive structure, the walls were built to allow soldiers to defend the church. Inside, one of the more fascinating statutes is a very pregnant Mary. It was a first for me.
Nearby, the Roman ruins dubbed the Temple of Diana is the third major site in the town. The columns remain but not much else of the original structure. Still, it's a fascinating structure.
While not on our original itinerary, we had a little time to shop in the charming little area by the church. Cork and tiles are some of the major offerings. Having a little time to shop for gifts for home before this, we took advantage of the opportunity.
Tonight, we finally ate at the restaurant next door to our hotel, 100 Maneiras. Known for both it's food and bar, the craziness starts right at the door and continues through the entire meal. The food was delicious and the staff delightful. I highly recommend a visit.
This was our final evening, so we had packing as an after dinner activity. What a great trip!!! I hope to return soon to visit other parts of the country and drink some more of their delicious wine. Hope you've enjoyed the blog.
Until next time.
Tammie
Such a gorgeous place... I would love to see it from close. Once Kiev tour guides told me that this place have something to do with Ukraine, is it true?
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